The compound 5,5-Diphenyl-2, 4 imidazolidinedione, also known as diphenyl hydantoin, or phenytoin, possesses the structure ##STR1## and has been used as an anticonvulsant. It is still used in this way, although it has been supplanted, to some degree, by other drugs, especially the hypnotics. See, e.g., F.Buchtal et al., Antileptic Drugs, Raven Press, N.Y., 1972 at page 103. It is more extensively used as a veterinary anticonvulsant, particularly in the treatment of cats.
Diphenyl hydantoin, its derivatives, and compositions containing these are known in the art, as may be seen in, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,409,754; 3,932,449; 3,798,233; 4,091,233; and 4,093,809, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. While many uses for hydantoin and its derivatives are disclosed in these references, it is apparent that hydantoin and its derivatives have never been employed as biocides.
Organometallic compounds have been employed in the past as specific biocides, particularly as antimicrobials. For example, organometallic derivatives of sulfadiazine are among the most prominent of these materials. See, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,761,590; 4,020,150; 4,049,802; 3,792,161; and 4,078,058, in which organometallic compounds of sulfadiazine are disclosed, such as silver sulfadizine, zinc sulfadiazine, and cerium sulfadiazine. The efficacy of these compounds as antimicrobials is clear from these disclosures, which are incorporated by reference herein.
While each of these complexes exhibits satisfactory effect in particular applications, no single one of these compounds, or classes of compounds, is effective against a broad range of infections and infective agents such as bacteria, viruses, plasmodia, and the like. Additionally, treatment of target infections with the known metallic complexes of, e.g., sulfadiazne, has resulted in the development of mutant strains against which previously satisfactory anti-infection agents are now less effective, or noneffective.
Hence it is an object of this invention to provide material useful as a versatile biocide for, but not limited to, bacteria, viruses, plasmodia, and the like.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a process for the production of a versatile biocide.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of treatment for treating and/or preventing infection in plant and animal tissue by application of a versatile biocide.
How these and other objects of the invention are accomplished will become apparent in the following disclosure.